


"Bad Hair"

by cyndario



Series: Talibah Cadash | good kid, m.A.A.d City [7]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Bioware why didn't you give me the option to have hair like I needed, Established Relationship, F/F, F/M, Female Character of Color, Fluff, Hair care, Humor, Mama Vivienne, Polyamorous Character, poor Cullen was just trying to help a bro out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-17
Updated: 2015-10-17
Packaged: 2018-04-26 17:14:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5013163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyndario/pseuds/cyndario
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Inquisitor learns the importance of taking care of her hair, and to love herself a little bit more.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"Bad Hair"

The sun filtered in through the window panes, painting her room in shades of blue and red. One particularly stubborn ray of sunshine landed right above her eyes, blurring her already convoluted dream with a haze of red. Groggily, Talibah rolled over, trying to shield herself and fight for a few more minutes of sleep. In her movements, her hair got loose, and started tickling her nose. Absently, she began pushing it away, and then her fingers started getting tangled as she ran it through her scalp. In a panic, she sat straight up and patted all over her head.

“Oh shit. Oh shit shit _shit_!” She jumped out of bed and ran in front of her full length mirror. The scream that escaped her lips was heard echoing within the main hall.

Within minutes, there was a loud bang on her door as Commander Cullen called out for her.

“Herald, are you alright?” He called out, and the sound of a sword being unsheathed could be heard. In a panic, Talibah yelped as she tried to think of an excuse.

“I-I’m fine, Commander! I just burnt myself…uh, changing out a log! Nothing to worry about!” She heard his heavy sigh give way to a chuckle as he sheathed his sword.

“Well, open the door and let’s have a look at it. I can call for the surgeon to come dress your wound for you—.”

“No! I'm fine. That’ll be all!” She interjected, her voice rising in pitch. There were a few moments of tense silence as Talibah waited for him to leave, but hearing nothing she began to make her way towards the door, worry seeping into her bones. The nervous shuffling of boots on the other side of her wooden door was faint, but so was the Commander’s voice as it dropped down almost to a whisper.

“My lady… uh, if it’s a somewhat private matter, I can send for another to assist you if you feel uncomfortable. They can be discreet and use the back stairway.”

Ancestors preserve her, whatever he _thought_ was wrong was leading to a conversation that was not going to happen. Talibah could physically feel the heat rising in her cheeks, and she nearly screamed all over again. “Commander, I can assure you it’s nothing as dire as what you’re implying. But if you could send for Josephine and Vivienne, I would greatly appreciate it.”

“Understood. I’ll send for them right away.”

The sound of his retreating footsteps released the breath she hadn’t known she was holding until just then. She tried to put her fingers through her hair to make sense of the mess atop her head and was left frustrated and on the verge of tears. She had allowed Leliana to talk her into fashioning her hair with the latest nonsensical Orlesian style—ribbons and encrusted jeweled pendants—braided and twisted within her hair. Vivienne had warned her to be diligent in taking _all_ the trinkets out before she went to sleep, but she was so tired. Dancing and trying to impress a bunch of uppity nobles was never her favorite pastime, but she did her best to attain more benefactors for the Inquisition. And to do it all in these fancy outfits and obnoxious heels! Ugh, her feet protested just at the thought. So in her weariness, she had barely undressed out of her newest gown before she collapsed onto her bed and had fallen asleep.

Fingering the knots and tangles atop her head, she started to see the focus of her loathing and slowly began working them out of the large curls in her hair. She closed her eyes as she angrily yanked on the pieces, pulling at her hair and causing tears to rise to her eyes. In her distraction, she didn’t notice her door opening or that Josephine and Vivienne had come inside.

“Inquisitor?” The sound of Josephine’s voice reached her and she jumped in surprise. Opening her eyes, Talibah saw their concerned faces in her mirror. Josephine rushed to her side and knelt down, gently turning her head this way and that to assess it. Talibah started to feel self conscious and began mumbling to try and ease the silence in the room.

“I don’t know how to fix it. There’s so many knots and tangles and I—“ Vivienne cut her off with a slight wave of her hand. The look in her eyes conveyed her feelings of sympathy towards Talibah’s disposition, not wanting to panic her further.

“Inquisitor—Talibah—darling it’s alright. We can fix this. What hair ointments do you have?”

Talibah looked confused as she tried to remember. “I… I don’t have any.

“I have some in my chambers. I’ll go grab them and we’ll all take our time and fix this, okay?” Josephine said, rising from the floor as she placed a hand on Talibah’s cheek. Rubbing her thumb to and fro, she tried to smile and make her feel better, but Talibah was inconsolable.  

“You must think me utterly pathetic. ‘Oh, she can close rifts just fine, but when it comes to her own hair she’s clueless’.” Talibah fussed, pulling herself out of Josephine’s grip as she headed towards her mirror and began yanking on her hair again.

“Darling we can debate the competency of your cosmetic skills another time. Right now, if you keep pulling on your hair in that manner you’ll end up ripping it all out.” Vivienne huffed, her patience wearing thin. “You may not be as skilled as you like when it comes to hair but that does not mean you pout at the first chance you’re afforded.”

“But this is... “

“Not something you had to worry about much before, correct? Well, we shall soon rectify that. Josephine, be a dear and go fetch those ointments. The Inquisitor and I shall begin untangling her hair while you’re gone. And if any ask, she’s indisposed for the remainder of the day. I’m sure they can understand she needs her rest.”

Josephine nodded as she headed out the room, and Vivienne stepped towards Talibah and took hold of her arm. Walking with her, she held on firmly as she made her way towards Talibah’s bed. Sitting on the end, she made Talibah sit on the floor and lean against the end of the bed, her head right up against her lower stomach. Slowly, Vivienne began moving her fingers through the mass of curls that lay atop Talibah’s head, effortlessly finding the offending ornaments and setting them gently down beside her. With a practiced hand, she laid the Inquisitor’s head on her thigh as she gently undid knots and tangles that Talibah thought impossible to make sense of. The motions were becoming almost soothing--and it reminded her of her mother. Closing her eyes, she visibly relaxed under Vivenne’s care, letting the elder mage take care of her.

“Now my dear, explain to me why you know so little about your own hair. I can tell that it bothers you.” Vivienne muttered, her voice uncharacteristically soft as she continued her ministrations. Talibah cleared her throat as she tried to think of where to begin or how best to explain to her everything. Just then, Josephine came through the door with a basket full of bottles, brushes and combs that clinked together as she walked.

“I have some oils that will help keep your curls, and another that can make your hair straight, and one more that can help with detangling. Which do you need, Madame Vivienne?”

Stopping her movements, Vivienne angled Talibah’s head so that she could look into her eyes. “How would you like us to style your hair, darling?” She asked softly, and Talibah shrugged. Sighing, she froze the tip of her fingers and pinched Talibah’s ear.

“Ow ow ow! Vivienne what the hell?!” She whined, trying to escape her grip.

“You, dear Inquisitor, are acting childish. We are trying to help you. I suggest you recognize that and stop pitying yourself. Now choose--do you want your hair straightened or keep it curled?” The ice on her fingers reached her voice, and Talibah stopped her squirming.

“I want my curls, Josephine.” She mumbled, and Vivienne released her.

“Wonderful! You do have such beautiful curls, my dear. I’m pleased you decided to keep them. Now, with the texture of your hair, you have to be careful. Humid areas, like Crestwood or the Storm Coast will cause your curls to shrink in on themselves. And you must always remember to properly moisturize not only your hair but your scalp. At least twice a day. Think of it as a ritual you practice every morning when you wake and every night before you sleep. Like with your weapon cleaning or when you check over your inventory before a mission.”

“And don’t forget to add rods to your hair when you sleep to keep the curls tight for the next day should you wish to make them larger or smaller. This is especially important for when we go visit dignitaries or vice versa.” Josephine added, kneeling down and  taking a portion of Talibah’s hair in her hands as she aided in untangling the massive tresses. Looking into the basket, Talibah saw the wooden cylinders of varying size and width nestled towards the bottom.

“But what if I want it straight?” Talibah asked quietly, and Josephine poked her nose.

“Well, when that happens, you put this bottle all over your hair. You let it sit for no more than half an hour and then you wash it out. It’ll be straight like mine, though it’s not permanent. You have to keep up the procedure once every other month or else your hair will go curly again. It’s something to think about if you want to change your look.”

“But won’t the Orleasians we deal with think my hair is unruly if it’s curly?”

Vivienne and Josephine shared a look above her that she couldn’t see, but she felt Vivienne place her hands on her shoulders.

“Talibah, the way you wear your hair is not for others to dictate. It’s yours--you make the most of it.” She said, rubbing gentle circles into her skin. “Now, don’t think I’ve forgotten. I still want an explanation to my earlier question.”

Fidgeting under them both, Talibah closed her eyes and scrunched her nose. Sighing, she let the methodical movements of both Vivienne and Josephine combing and brushing her hair relax her some more before she began talking.

“It’s just… whenever I was younger and first joined the Carta, the night before a mission or operation _umi_ would sit me down like this and she would braid my hair. That was our time--to talk, for her to reassure me, for us to be alone; and when it was over my hair would be full of loose twists or piled in a long braid or pinned in a bun.” She cracked open her eyes for a second and saw that both of them had stopped and were watching her as she spoke. Swallowing nervously, she continued.

“ I always wanted to learn, I had every intention to, but the older I got the more adamant _umi_ was that I indulge her. Running our particular chapter of the Carta was getting to her. She stressed a lot--and I think doing my hair was a stress relief for her. But when everything happened at the Conclave, my hair was the last thing on my mind. I know basic things like three-strand braids or brushing it out in general, but intricate styles that  _umi_ would do I can’t duplicate. Nor do I know anything about ointments or special care. I just… never learned.”

“There is no shame in not knowing, Inquisitor. It's actually quite common among the nobility to not know how to do your own hair.” Josephine reassured her, and Talibah sat up to look at her.

“Really?” She asked, her voice cracking a tad bit.

“Really. They have servants and their gold pays for another to do it, they feel too entitled to learn. You already have the weight of the world upon your shoulders, Talibah. Let us help you with this. It is rather small compared to everything else you do for us all the time.” Josephine planted a small kiss on her cheek and Talibah fidgeted nervously, curling into herself more. Vivienne chuckled as she ran her fingers through Talibah’s hair. While she had been talking, Vivienne and Josephine had finished extracting all the stray hair ornaments from her scalp. Taking one of the combs, Vivienne began combing through her hair gently. The scratch of the wooden comb made her remember her mother, and she sighed contentedly. Soon, after the oils and ointments that smelled like fruit and spices were lathered into her hair, she felt Vivienne brush the non-shaved part of her hair to one side, framing it over her shoulder.

“I think your poor hair deserves to breathe after the ordeal it just overcame, don’t you?” Vivienne teased, turning Talibah’s head towards the tall mirror. Talibah gasped as she looked at her reflection, large ringlets spiraling all over and cascading down her shoulders. She reached up and pulled on one strand, watching as it bounced when she released it.

“I look…”

“You look as you always have, my dear--beautiful. You just have to believe it. Your beauty is not wrapped up in your hair. Now, let us get changed. I’m taking you shopping.” Vivienne ordered as she rose from her seat atop her bed. Heading towards the steps, she turned back towards Talibah and smiled.

“We will leave within the hour. Do try your best to not keep me waiting.” Talibah nodded fervently, her happiness over her hair brightening her eyes as she smiled openly at Vivienne. The elder mage held back her laughter, the sweetness of the moment softening her gaze. Taking her leave, Vivienne headed down the stairs and out the door, the echoes of her heels lost in the interim corridor.

Talibah was so enthralled by her hair that she didn’t notice Josephine walk behind her, her arms encircling her shoulders. Breathing deeply, Josephine took in her scent, and placed a kiss on her cheek.

“Do you think I’m beautiful, Lady Josephine?” Talibah teased, and looked up at Josephine’s reflection as she answered.

“I’ve always thought you were beautiful, _mi amor_.”

“Even when I’m covered in dragon blood?” She asked, wiggling her eyebrows at her love in surprise.

Josephine let out a light laugh as she turned her around to face her, her hands cradling her face. She slowly lowered her lips to place a kiss on her forehead, on both eyelids, her cheeks, and stopped a mere breath away from her lips.

“I have thought you beautiful always, even covered in dragon blood. Though, if you were to cease fighting them in general, I wouldn’t complain. You worry me so much.”

“Sorry, Josie.”

“Well, you’ll just have to make it up to me, won’t you?” She whispered, and she placed her lips on hers. Talibah’s eyes fluttered closed, and she wrapped her arms around Josephine’s neck as she brought her closer. The chaste kiss was turning into something deeper, but before they could move back towards her bed someone cleared their throat from the top of the stairs.  

Both women shot their heads towards the landing to see Iron Bull, smirking, his arms crossed over his chest.

“Ma’am figured the two of you would pounce on each other the instant she turned her back, so I’m here to make sure you get ready. And I don’t plan on getting in trouble, so hurry.”

Josephine chuckled as she placed another quick kiss to Talibah’s cheek, and made her way downstairs. Iron Bull still stood in place, and Talibah motioned for him to leave as well.

“Oh no, I’m not leaving until you’re ready. I’m not facing Ma’am empty-handed.” Talibah threw one of her dangerously pointed heels at him, and he dodged it easily. “Hey, you’re the one wasting time here. And if she gets onto me because you’re late--” his voice dropped as he made his way closer. His large hand reached out to grasp her chin, and he turned her gaze so she looked into his eye.

“I’ll make sure I punish you for it later.”

A shiver ran through her as she contemplated what would be in store for her, and she almost wanted to push it, but angering Vivienne wasn’t wise for anyone involved. Nodding, she broke out of his hold as she went about her room and got ready for her day, Bull standing steadfast as he watched her, smiling to himself at how relaxed she seemed.

When she was fully bathed, dressed and ready, Talibah began to barrel her way past him until he grabbed her arm, pulling her into him. Talibah looked into his face to see what had gotten into him--wasn’t he the one whining about Vivienne and getting in trouble?

His fingers gently fingered a lock of her hair, feeling the texture as it framed her face. Emboldened, he brought his hand behind her neck and dug his fingers into the skin, pulling closer. She relaxed into his touch, and he chuckled.

“Come on, Boss. Before you miss your day of shopping.” And just as suddenly, he let her go. She shook her head as she smiled, turning to walk around. Talibah nearly fell down the stairs in surprise as his large hand smacked her ample backside, and she rubbed the offended skin.

“Bull….” She warned and he shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s your fault for wearing those tight pants. Your ass is literally _begging_ to be touched in them.”

“If I can’t have alone time with her for fear of Madame Vivienne turning us all into frozen statues, neither can you, Bull.”

Talibah turned back towards the door to see Josephine, her hands on her hips and a playful smile on her lips. Talibah turned and saw Bull’s smile widen, no remorse whatsoever on his features. Shaking her head, she walked down the steps and jumped up to place a kiss on Josephine’s cheek as she hurriedly made her way towards the stables, afraid her hour was up.

Vivienne was just being helped onto her Orlesian Courser by one of the stable hands when Talibah rushed up, nearly out of breath. Vivienne chuckled at her state of disarray, and watched as Talibah launched herself onto the back of her Red Hart, clutching the beast for balance as she used too much force to settle into the saddle.

“My dear, you made it. And here I thought neither Bull nor Josephine would be able to keep their hands off you.” She teased, and Talibah coughed nervously. Unable to bear her knowing gaze, Talibah spurred her mount into a gallop, rushing off before Vivienne. The older woman hid her smile behind her hand as she spurred her own horse forward, trotting at a decent pace after the Inquisitor.

It was going to be an interesting day indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> For all the Inquisitors out there who don't fit into the standard realm of beauty. You're all beautiful to me. Don't ever forget that.


End file.
